Recovering from an illness is often not easy. Even a person who does not show other types of pathologies beyond the disease that has developed acutely and punctually may encounter difficulties at the time of recovery if he does not follow in detail the instructions of health professionals and maintains both the treatment and the recommendations until they have been indicated, even if you feel an improvement, as you may relapse again.
Among the diseases that have a higher risk of relapse are respiratory diseases, since their recovery is usually more complex and covers more time than other types of pathologies. That is why it is important to know the care that must be incorporated and maintained over time, despite feeling that it is ostensibly improved. We can say that one of the most common diseases and with more relapses due to an incorrect recovery is pneumonia. In we explain how to recover from bacterial pneumonia.
What is bacterial pneumonia?
Pneumonia is a very common disease in all types of populations and can be acquired both in an in-hospital climate, that is, inside a hospital when we are recovering from another disease and our immune system is depleted (what is called nosocomial disease), and in an out-of-hospital environment. If our defenses are low because we have recently passed another illness or suffer a lot of anxiety or stress, we have to be especially careful not to develop it.
Types of pneumonia
There are several types of pneumonia, which can be caused by viruses, fungi or bacteria. The latter are what cause bacterial pneumonia. The most common is Streptococcus pneumoniae, better known as pneumococcus, but it can also be caused by other bacteria such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae, although in this case they are pneumonias with less severe symptoms.
Symptoms bacterial pneumonia
The presence of bacteria in the lungs causes inflammation of the alveoli, those air sacs that form the lungs, causing them to fill with pus. This generates various symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, fever, tiredness or fatigue, even nausea. If you want to know more, you will find more information in this other article about What are the symptoms of pneumonia.
It is very important that, as soon as you notice this symptomatology, you go to your doctor and follow the instructions established for your correct recovery. Also, here are some tips for recovering.
How long a pneumonia lasts in adults
The most common thing is that those people who do not have another pathology apart from pneumonia, begin to feel better after two or three days of starting treatment.
That does not mean that they should stop following the guidelines set by the doctor, since in reality the body takes at least a week to recover from this disease, and it can last up to three. So, stick with the medication set by your doctor and rest at home, especially the first few days. You may also be interested in How to Prevent Pneumonia.
Humidifier for recovery from bacterial pneumonia
In this disease, coughing is your ally, as it will help you eliminate the fluid that is inside your pulmonary alveoli. Therefore, avoid the use of cough suppressants.
Your doctor has probably prescribed an expectorant and there are simple ways to enhance its effects. For example, get a humidifier and place it in the room where you spend most of your time resting. Hot, steam showers can also help you cough better.
There are also those who wonder if with pneumonia you can go out on the street. The truth is that experts advise not to leave the house until you are more recovered, although it is convenient to ventilate the patient's room so that the bacteria that you have expelled through coughing leave.
Hydration and healthy eating
As we have said before, one of the possible causes of the entry and development of bacteria inside your lungs can be a drop in defenses. Proper nutrition and hydration are closely related to the prevention of problems with your immune system, in addition to helping a faster recovery in case of developing the disease.
We recommend that you drink plenty of fluids, to maintain good hydration, especially in the event that one of the symptoms you are suffering from is fever. Include in your diet an adequate amount of protein (egg, meat, fish and legumes), fruits and vegetables. If your body has all the necessary nutrients, it will recover more quickly. Soups and broths are a very suitable option, especially the first days of treatment when you feel more difficult at the time of intakes, since they will comfort you and provide you with a large number of vitamins and proteins if you take chicken and vegetables.
Now that you know how to recover from bacterial pneumonia, you may also be interested in this other article on How to Treat Pneumonia with Home Remedies.
